All Chapters of The Crime Lord's Obsession : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Rosa sat before a grand mirror in the luxury parlour, surrounded by a team of stylists. She stared at her reflection and smiled, soft curls cascading over her bare shoulders, her lips painted crimson, her mask resting on the table beside a tray of diamond jewellery. Everything about her screamed perfection."Careful with that!" she snapped suddenly when one of the attendants tugged too hard on a strand of hair."S-sorry, ma’am," the girl stammered nervously, bowing her head.Rosa glared at her, her voice dripping with disdain. "Do you have any idea how delicate my hair is? I said loose waves, not a bird’s nest!"The girl swallowed hard and tried again, her hands trembling. The other stylists exchanged wary glances but kept working, afraid to breathe too loudly lest they irk their beloved customer.Minutes later, another mistake was made, this time from the man applying her eyeliner. His hand slipped slightly, smudging the corner of her lids."Are you blind?" Rosa hissed, jerking her

The gala hall was alive with laughter and champagne glasses clinking. Waiters glided between clusters of guests, balancing trays of champagne and wine. Isabella picked a glass from a passing waiter. She took a slow sip to calm down her frantic beating heart. She could feel occasional stares from all over the room that set her pulse racing. Yet amidst all those gazes, she could feel Nikolai He stood across the room, a glass of champagne in his hand. He had almost missed her at first. The black hair threw him off. But then she turned: the graceful tilt of her chin, the confident poise cleared his doubt. The mask hid most of her face, yet there was no mistaking her. And for a second he forgot how to breathe! She looked breathtaking. He didn’t know whether he wanted to drag her out of there or keep staring forever. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to calm down, he couldn't just walk to her, not when half of his enemies were present. And Roman, holding her like that made his

Isabella walked down the marble hallway, her heels clicking lightly against the floor. She paused by a mirror and exhaled softly. Her cheeks flushed, she couldn't believe she had just pecked him before such a crowd. She shook her head and turned toward the powder room, unaware of the two silhouettes that stood by the wall behind her. ~~~ Marcus leaned against the pillar near the ballroom exit, still pretending to sip his champagne. His gaze was locked on the hallway where Isabella had just disappeared into. He’d been watching her, not intentionally, but every time he tried to look elsewhere, his eyes found her again. Ten minutes passed but Isabella had not come back. He frowned. She should have been back by now. Uneasiness clasped his heart. Marcus Vince had never cared about women. Rumours had it that his mother left him while he was still a toddler. He’d never had a girlfriend, just a few occasional hookups to satisfy his urges. He set his glass down sharply and walked aw

The drive back was suffocatingly silent. Neither of them spoke. Isabella sat by the window and stared outside, her fingers trembling slightly on her lap. Nikolai’s hands gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary, his knuckles turning white. Every now, he'd steal Isabella's small glances through the mirror, yet she didn't even glance his way once, her reflection on the mirror was distant and pale. His brows furrowed and the veins in his arm bulged out. He wanted to say something but the words refused to come out. His anger still burned hotter. The only sound in the car was Isabella’s shallow breaths. Her wrist was still red from where those men had grabbed her earlier. And the thought of those men's filthy hands on her sent a shiver down her spine. Nikolai glanced at her through the mirror again and frowned. Every second of her silence gnawed at him, and he hated that he didn’t know what she was thinking. When the car finally rolled into the driveway of their mansion, s

Nikolai stood near the glass wall of his office window. He pocketed his hands and glanced down at the heavy traffic. He had barely slept last night. Not when Isabella had a nightmare again. It's been going on for the whole week. "Don’t touch me…" she had whimpered, twisting and kicking beneath the sheets, her voice trembling. He quickly sat up. Her face was damp with tears, her hands gripping the blanket as though shielding herself from something. "Isabella," he murmured urgently, pulling her up in a sitting position. His hand hovered gently over her shoulder before finally resting there. She had flinched at first then slowly stilled, her sobs slowing when he pulled her to his embrace such that her head was resting on his chest. "Hey, it’s me, princess," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You’re safe now. No one’s going to hurt you," he coaxed, pressing his lips against her forehead. For a long moment, she didn't open her eyes. Her breathing came out rag